Locks

ABSTRACT

A lock mechanism including a cylindrical lock casing containing cylinder lock mechanism, the casing having an axially arranged stem extending from one of its ends, said stem, extending into a hole in a transversely extending pin to thereby hold the pin against both rotative and axial movement thus coupling any element to which the pin is secured to the lock and holding such element against movement until the lock is opened and the lock casing is axially shifted.

Elite Sttes Fate Wellekens [4 1 Apr. 10, 1973 1 LOCKS [76] Inventor:John F. Wellelcens, 51 East 42nd St.,

New York, NY. 10017 [22] Filed: June 11, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 152,227

[52] US. Cl ..70/33, 70/361 [51] Int. Cl. ..E05b 67/34 [58] Field ofSearch ..70/3 l-37, 39

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,071,958 H1963 Russo..70/361 UX 1,424,543 8/1922 Wiloch ..70/39 X FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS Italy ..70/33 Austria ..70/ 3 3 Germany ..70/ 33 PrimaryExaminer-Marvin A. Champion Assistant Examiner-William F. Pate, IIIAttomey-Harry Radzinsky v[57] ABSTRACT A lock mechanism including acylindrical lock casing containing cylinder lock mechanism, the casinghaving an axially arranged stem extending from one of its ends, saidstem, extending into a hole in a transversely extending pin to therebyhold the pin against both rotative and axial movement thus coupling anyelement to which the pin is secured to the lock and holding such elementagainst movement until the lock is opened and the lock casing is axiallyshifted.

3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PAHNHYIW 3,726,115

INVENTOR John F welleken s LOCKS The present invention relates to locksof a kind which can be used on parking meters, vending machines, laundrymachinery and in numerous other environments, or which can be used as asubstitute for the conventional padlock for various purposes.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a cylindrical lockcasing having an axial stern extension that enters into a hole in across pin. It is an object of the invention to provide a loop-shapedlock, a portion of which consists of a removable pin engaged by a sternon the shiftable lock casing.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein the invention is illustrativelyshown:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, with parts in section, of a lock usableas a padlock and constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the same, looking in the direction of thearrows 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the lock as seen from the left of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view of the lock as seen from the right of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view of the locking pin or rod with and end portion of thesame shown in section;

FIG. 6 shows the cylinder lock;

FIG. 7 shows a modified means for engaging the locking pin or rod at oneend;

In FIGS. 1 to 7 is shown a lock which is particularly adapted to themany uses to which padlocks and the like are employed. The lock shownincludes a sturdy body or frame generally indicated at l, which frame issubstantially C-shaped and is thus formed with the two spaced-apart,integrally connected arms indicated respectively at 2 and 3. In thelocking position, or that shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a locking pin, rod orbar 4 extends between, enters and connects the arms 2 and 3 and when thepin or rod is in place the lock is in the form of a closed loop that maybe fitted through or around any elements that are to be coupled orlocked together. The open position of the lock is that in which the rodis removed.

The pin or rod 4 is provided at one end with screw threads 5 forthreadable engagement with a threaded aperture through the arm 2. As analternative, the end of the pin or rod 4 might be provided with a groove6 for engagement by spring-pressed balls 7 acting as detents (FIG. 7)for securely but removably anchoring the end of the rod or pin in thearm 2. At its opposite end the pin or rod 4 is formed with a circularhead 8 which fits within a recess 20 formed in the arm 3 of the frame I.Said head 8 is provided with a transversely-extending aperture 21adapted for the reception ofa stem 9 that is provided on and extendsaxially from the end ofa housing 10 of the lock mechanism 11. Thelocking mechanism contained in the housing 10 consists of a lock of thecylinder type and it may, if desired, preferably but not necessarily, beof a construction similar to that shown in my U.S. Pats. Nos. 3,260,080and 3,464,241. Such type of locking mechanism is one in which thecombination can be speedily and easily changed whenever it is desired toenable the lock to be operated by a selected key. Thus, a feature of thepresent invention resides in the fact that when the possibility existsthat the lock might be opened by persons having unauthorized possessionof a suitable key, the

combination of the lock can be quickly changed and this can be donewithout difficulty or extensive effort so that a differently contouredkey will then be required in order to open the lock.

The locking mechanism includes a retractible latch 12 for engagementwith a recess 13 in the wall of a passage 14 in the frame 1. The lockhousing 10 slidably and adjustably fits in the passage 14 and the fixedstem 9 on the lock housing projects through opening 16 to reach andenter the opening 20 in the head 8. It is obvious that as long as thestem 9 extends into the opening 20, the locking pin or rod 4 cannot berotatively nor axially moved. When it is desired to remove the rod 4,the lock is opened by the retraction of its latch 12, by means of a key19 and the locking housing 10 is axially moved out substantially asshown in dotted lines at 23 in FIG. 2, and this action will withdraw thestem 9 out of the opening 21 in the head 8 of the locking pin or rod 4thus permitting the pin or rod to be freed and removed from between thearms 2 and 3. A fingerpiece 24 is provided on the head 8 by which thepin or rod 4 may be manually unthreaded and removed.

The axial movement of the lock casing 10 may be limited by any suitablestop means such as a pin 28 entering a slot 29 in the housing or by thelatch entering a recess in the arm 3. If the retaining means shown inFIG. 7 is employed as a substitute for threads for en gaging one end ofthe pin or rod 4, unthreading of the pin or rod will not be required,the pin or rod then being forcibly pulled out when freed from itsengagement by the stem 9.

What I claim is:

l. A lock comprising, locking mechanism contained within a cylindricalcasing, said mechanism including a laterally projecting retractablelatch, a substantially U- shaped housing having first and second arms,the cylindrical casing being mounted for axial movement in the first armof the U-shaped housing, a fixed stem attached to and projecting fromone end of the lock casing, a pin extending between the arms of theU-shaped housing, one end of the pin having means for anchoring that endin the second arm of the U-shaped housing, the opposite end of the pinhaving an enlarged disk of greater diameter than the remainder of thepin, said disk having a transverse passage therethrough, located toreceive the stem on the lock casing when the casing is fitted in thehousing, the latch cooperating with said first arm to hold the lockcasing against axial shift in the absence of key operation of the lockmechanism in the lock casing.

2. A lock according to claim 1, wherein the means for anchoring one endof the pin in the second arm of the housing comprises screw threads onthe pin engageable with threaded means on the second arm, and a fingerpiece projecting from the disk to facilitate the rotative unthreadingmovement of the pin to enable it to be removed from the housing afterthe stem has been removed from the passage in the disk by the axialshift of the lock casing.

3. A look comprising, a substantially U-shaped housing that includes apair of spaced-apart arms, the first of said arms having a threadedaperture for the reception of one end of a threaded pin that extendsbetween the arms, the second arm having an aperture, a pin having anenlarged disk at its end opposite to said threaded gaging with theopening in the disk. the pin having a finger piece adjacent to the disk,the finger piece being located externally of the arm in which the diskis located, the pin being rotatable when it is not engaged by the stemto thereby withdraw it from the first arm.

1. A lock comprising, locking mechanism contained within a cylindricalcasing, said mechanism including a laterally projecting retractablelatch, a substantially U-shaped housing having first and second arms,the cylindrical casing being mounted for axial movement in the first armof the U-shaped housing, a fixed stem attached to and projecting fromone end of the lock casing, a pin extending between the arms of theU-shaped housing, one end of the pin having means for anchoring that endin the second arm of the U-shaped housing, the opposite end of the pinhaving an enlarged disk of greater diameter than the remainder of thepin, said disk having a transverse passage therethrough, located toreceive the stem on the lock casing when the casing is fitted in thehousing, the latch cooperating with said first arm to hold the lockcasing against axial shift in the absence of key operation of the lockmechanism in the lock casing.
 2. A lock according to claim 1, whereinthe means for anchoring one end of the pin in the second arm of thehousing comprises screw threads on the pin engageable with threadedmeans on the second arm, and a finger piece projecting from the disk tofacilitate the rotative unthreading movement of the pin to enable it tobe removed from the housing after the stem has been removed from thepassage in the disk by the axial shift of the lock casing.
 3. A lockcomprising, a substantially U-shaped housing that includes a pair ofspaced-apart arms, the first of said arms having a threaded aperture forthe reception of one end of a threaded pin that extends between thearms, the second arm having an aperture, a pin having an enlarged diskat its end opposite to said threaded portion, said disk having anopening therein, the second arm of the housing having a passage at rightangles to the opening therethrough and in which opening the disk ispositioned, a lock casing having a key-controlled latch for holding thecasing against axial shift, said casing carrying an offset stem at oneend for engaging with the opening in the disk. the pin having a fingerpiece adjacent to the disk, the finger piece being locateD externally ofthe arm in which the disk is located, the pin being rotatable when it isnot engaged by the stem to thereby withdraw it from the first arm.